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Printers have ceased to be a peripheral of computers to inhabit any space in the home. Connected wirelessly to phones and tablets or with voice, they are part of the IoT (Internet of Things) universe that brings technology to all kinds of users.

When the line between personal and professional life is increasingly blurred, we work both from the office and at home or on the street. We do not always have a specific place in the home and sometimes we do it from the couch or even the bed. We spend our lives hiding the cables and the technological devices of our increasingly connected home.

Welcome ‘home-friendly’ technology

But technology created specifically for the home no longer has to be invisible. The new devices are designed to be displayed, but camouflaged within the environment without attracting attention. There are wooden cases for computers, tablets and telephones, voice assistants are wrapped in cloth, and even thermostats, humidifiers or security systems are aesthetically attractive. They are prettier, but also simpler and smaller.

At the same time that homes are increasingly technological , technology is becoming more and more human. The devices adapt to the user experience. If the mobile has become the control center of our work and leisure, the devices of our home are also controlled by an app. When the cables are no longer needed, we can connect with them via Wi-Fi even if we are not nearby.

The latest revolution in our way of relating to technology is the use of the voice. Either by using a smart speaker such as Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod or Google Home or through our smartphones or, very soon, on Smart TV, voice assistants such as Google or Alexa have facilitated access to the Internet for more people. Without touching keys or looking at screens, the way to communicate with technology through the voice can not be more human.

HP Tango printer, simplicity and intelligence

Sometimes it’s the simplest thing that makes life easier. And the HP Tango printer brings together simplicity and intelligence so we can print, scan and copy from any device and place thanks to its cloud-based connectivity.

Its elegant and curved design and small size make it easy to fit anywhere, from the living room to the kitchen. It has a cover, lined in linen or cork, to become a decorative object more of our house if we are not using it.

The HP Tango does not need to be connected to a computer or countless buttons and lights to work. The HP Smart app for Android and iOS smartphones makes it possible to manage all its functions, send images to print, scan documents and receive notifications. Neither do you need to be in the same room. We can print from a cafe or from the street.

In addition, it is compatible with the main voice assistants, from Alexa (Amazon), Cortana (Microsoft) or Google Assistant, to send documents only with voice. It turns the experience into a quick and simple act, which lacks complex facilities or instructions or requires a computer.

Characteristics of the HP Tango printer

Easy configuration: without USB ports or drivers, we only need to download the HP Smart app on our phone.

The Internet of Things has come to revolutionize our lives. And as they say in the movies, nothing will ever be the same again. But what exactly is the Internet of Things? Well, it is neither more nor less than the term used to describe the set of connected devices that surround us , regardless of their type. We already talked about what the arrival of 5G had in store for us , and we saw that this technology could affect many aspects of society, from the management of cities, traffic or the way we buy. But today, with the possibilities of current connectivity, our houses have more and more connected devices to facilitate the day to day.

A fairly obvious example of a device included in the Internet of Things (or IoT) would be our computer. There are others less visible. For example, a smart watch , a refrigerator with Internet connection, a robot vacuum cleaner of last generation … basically any product that connect with others or provide remote access functions to simplify our lives is considered part of the Internet of Things.

The potential offered by the Internet of Things is hardly being explored at this time. Nobody really knows how far the possibilities of interaction between devices and the user will come, but we can already know the kind of home that will bring us in the short term thanks to the latest advances in home automation. We speak of a future that begins to be the present .

Have you run out of milk? Your refrigerator warns you

Little by little, more and more “dumb” appliances are becoming smarter. Possibly one of the first to start this race to the Internet of things is the humble refrigerator , which has gone from being a space to cool food to become a recipe book, entertainment center and notebook , all in one.

Some of the latest models and prototypes of Samsung and LG already advance their possibilities. Using cameras located inside it is possible to know its contents using the mobile phone so you do not forget anything when you visit the supermarket. Better yet, they are already designing reading systems that will scan the products located in their trays to know at all times when to buy more orange juice.

Also, the refrigerators of the future will incorporate large touch screens on their doors. This element will allow us for example to prepare shopping lists synchronized in the cloud that we can consult on our computer or mobile phone , but also consult recipes and watch television. The possibilities are endless.

On the other hand, relatively new products such as robotic vacuum cleaners have not been slow to integrate into the Internet of Things. A great example is the LG Hombot . Not only can your owner define the route of cleaning with your phone, but thanks to its integrated camera you can use the robot as a mobile video surveillance system accessible from any corner of the world.

Redefining domestic entertainment

There was a time when we had to wait six months to go to the video store to see a premiere movie at home. It is not that this is a thing of the past, it is that it directly looks prehistoric. The Internet of Things has also revolutionized the way we consume content, and that if before we were limited by physical media, now streaming imposes its law .

On-demand content platforms such as Netflix or HBO allow you to enjoy all kinds of programs over the Internet. And on any device. Another silent revolution driven by the Internet of Things that has possibly gone unnoticed by a good part of consumers .

The dissemination of streaming content is possibly one of the clearest examples of how the Internet of Things has entered our lives without us having noticed. It does not matter if you play a PlayStation 4 , use an iPad to surf the Internet or simply have a TV last generation . Any of these devices can bring you the best of cinema and television through its corresponding app … or play via Wi-Fi content that you already have on your PC using products such as a Chromecast or Apple TV .

The electric car as a battery for the whole home

Although it looks like something that is parked in the garage and ceases to exist for us, the car will be one of the next centers of the connected home. Companies like Nissan are working on systems that will allow them to use their vehicle batteries to provide electricity to our house if there is a power failure , thus preventing food from being spoiled in the refrigerator or losing computer work.

The Internet of Things will also allow our car to adapt to our life and not the other way around. For example, a smart vehicle will be able to connect to the Internet to know the weather and adjust the climate automatically . In addition, it will be synchronized with our agenda. This way you will know when we are going to work and have already heated (or cooled) the cabin before we climb.

To these apparently simple benefits are added other much more complex and invisible. For example, cold is the main enemy of the batteries of electric cars. Knowing the weather a vehicle can adjust the battery of their batteries to provide maximum performance. Or you could also contact an intelligent meter to charge them only at those times when domestic consumption is reduced or more economical.

Domotics and security: the authentic smart home

But without a doubt, home automation was the place where the Internet of Things began to germinate as we know it. With a good router, secure and able to communicate through the walls of the house as a TP-Link AC1200 or an ASUS Gigabit Wireless-AC1900 , the average user has at their fingertips to create a smart home with very little effort .

The possibilities offered here by the Internet of Things are unlimited. We have been able to see interesting lighting systems with smart bulbs that adapt according to day or night, surveillance cameras connected to our mobile phones and security equipment that will alert us if someone opens the door while we are away.

We can also highlight the growing importance of intelligent thermostats , small devices that allow us to regulate the temperature of the house from the telephone or program the heating at intervals to save energy (and money). They started being a curiosity and now they are included as standard in more than one new work. And to think that not so long ago we had to close the faucets of the radiators by hand.

The processor is often said to be the “heart” of the computer. And in a way it is like that. It can also be seen as the “brain”, showing in both cases that we are facing a vital component for the functioning of our computer . The memory or the hard disk, not to mention the graphics processor are also relevant, of course, but if we had to define an order of importance, the processor (or CPU) would be in first place.

The graphics processor, memory and hard drive would follow in that order. Then we would have the screen, the connectivity and other elements such as the keyboard, the battery (in the case of a laptop) and other accessories. Actually, all the elements are necessary for a computer to work, of course . A computer without memory or a storage system can hardly work. At least the computers that we know and with which we are familiar.

A little engineering, but little

To understand the role of the processor, we must talk about somewhat arid concepts in principle. Current computers follow the Harvard architecture model, which in turn is related to von Neumann. This architecture defines the essential mode of operation of computers, with arithmetic and logical instructions that are executed in the electronics of the processor. These instructions are the elements of which the computer programs are composed . The instructions are stored in memory. And the data, in turn, are stored in memory equally.

Both the programs and the data are stored in the storage units, but the computer has to take them to the RAM so that the processor can access them , in a continuous process of reading from the storage media, writing in memory , processing in the processor and writing in memory to then take the data to the storage units.

The processors are capable of executing instructions within a well-defined repertoire and with strict and irremovable operating rules. There are different sets of instructions, but those that are handled in most current computers are the so-called x86 instructions .

The processors execute (more or less) sequentially the x86 instructions of which the programs are composed, while they operate on the data . The operations are of the arithmetic type, using binary logic with 64-bit registers. At first, only 4 bits were worked. Then with 8 bits. After 16 bits, 32 bits and from a decade ago, 64 bits.

The rate at which the operations are executed is marked by the clock frequency. So, if we have a processor with a frequency of 3 GHz, we have to execute operations at a rate of 3,000,000,000 operations per second . That is, in a nanosecond three operations are executed. The more speed, therefore, the greater number of operations performed. As we will see, it is not exactly like that. But let’s go step by step.

Architecture and multicore

Currently, the best-known x86 processor manufacturers are Intel and AMD. Each of them has designed the electronics of their processors in a different way. In both cases they have to be compatible with x86 instructions, but Intel does it one way and AMD another . Each manufacturer has developed its own architecture. That is: a unique way to process instructions. It is as if the objective was to reach the same destination, but each of them chooses a different route, trusting that it will be the “good” considering the distance, possible traffic jams, galibo limits or the number of traffic lights . The end is the same, but there are many possible ways to get there.

Actually, a processor can execute more than one operation in each clock cycle. Before we said that the programs are executed in a “more or less” sequential manner. That is: in a clock cycle several instructions can be executed. Traditionally, Intel has been better than AMD in terms of IPC. That is, the “route” chosen by Intel to reach its destination has traditionally been more efficient if we look at the metaphor of the previous paragraph. But recently, AMD has made a radical change in its architecture, which is now called Ryzen, standing up to Intel. That is to say: AMD has recalculated the route to arrive and now has achieved a more agile journey.

In addition, processor manufacturers have been integrating several “cores” in each processor for years. In this way, several programs or processes can be executed at the same time . Currently there are processors with up to 32 cores, with two, four, six and eight the usual number of cores (cores) that work simultaneously in a processor.

The performance does not increase linearly with the number of cores: four cores does not mean that we have a 4x performance on a CPU with a single core. It can be 2.5x, for example.

Manufacturing and consumption technology

Processor manufacturers (Intel and AMD are the best known) also evolve manufacturing technology. A CPU can have several billion transistors, with nanometric sizes. Every so often (between one year and three years), manufacturers find a way to make the size of the transistors of which a processor is smaller . This makes them “fit” more in the same space and consume less energy. The increase in transistors has followed for five decades the so-called Moore’s Law , although in recent years it is beginning to question its validity. The number of transistors does increase (at the moment), but the performance does not grow at the same rate.

Another parameter that defines a processor is the energy consumption. We can say, to simplify, that the TDP is the parameter that defines what a processor consumes. Although it is not really like that from a rigorous point of view. The TDP characterizes a processor: thus, there are processors with a TDP of 5W, 15W, 25W, 45W, 65W or even more than 100W. The TDP is measured in Watts, and for the same architecture, the more Watts the TDP has, the more processing power the processor will have .

This is important, because Intel, without going any further, has “Core i7” processors with several cores. But a Core i7 of four cores with a TDP of 15W will have a performance about three times lower than a Core i7 quad-core with a TDP of 45W . They may look the same if we look at the specifications, but they are not in practice.

In summary

At the moment we have that a processor will have a performance that depends on its architecture (IPC or instructions per clock cycle), the number of cores, the clock speed in MHz and the TDP . Intel and AMD have their own architectures, both compatible with x86 instructions, although with substantial differences in how they are executed.

Something we have not said is that it is usual that the graphics processor is also integrated into the processor . It happens on almost all Intel processors and in some AMD families. It is useful, since we do not need to buy an additional graphic card. But its performance in games is very low, so it is not always the ideal solution. Especially for desktops or gaming laptops.

It is also interesting to know that it is usual for each core to work as “virtual” as if it were two. Thus, a processor that specifies that it has four cores and eight threads will be able to handle two processes simultaneously (more or less) for each core . This technique allows to make better use of the resources of the processor but does not increase by a factor of 2x the performance, much less.

Intel and AMD in the present moment

Intel and AMD have been competing for supremacy in the processor segment since the 1990s. Both companies have been developing new solutions that have allowed them to reach the current moment, with Intel already in the eighth generation of its architecture, codenamed Coffee Lake. And AMD with its brand new Zen architecture and Zen + , optimized version of Zen architecture. Coffee Lake is the successor of Kaby Lake, while Zen is the successor of Bulldozer.

Intel, in addition, has a family of very low power processors with an architecture specially designed so that consumption is minimal, with the Godmont and Godmont Plus architectures, Godmont’s successor. They are processors with a simplified internal electronics compared to Coffee Lake or Kaby Lake, which allows to reduce consumption, although at the expense of reducing performance as well . It is as if, to go to your destination, you chose a longer route (less performance), but with a path free of traffic lights, traffic jams and going at a constant and efficient speed for consumption.

Coffee Lake uses a 14 nm manufacturing technology, while Zen also uses 14 nm and Zen +, 12 nm. In general, a smaller size of transistors, better performance in terms of performance and energy efficiency. Intel is already working with 10 nm processors (Cannon Lake), while AMD has by 2019 the arrival of Zen 2, the successor architecture of Zen and Zen + , with transistors of no less than 7 nm.

Architecture is one thing and processors are another. In this sense, Intel has the Intel Core m, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9 and Core X processors, as well as the Intel Pentium, Pentium Silver, Atom and Celeron , while AMD offers users their processors Ryzen and Threadripper . Currently you can find Intel Core processors with the Coffee Lake architecture, as well as Kaby Lake and AMD processors with Zen and Zen +. The differences between one and the other are not excessively large and if the prices fit, you can make an optimal purchase of a computer with a processor that is not state-of-the-art.

In the case of AMD, it is your business to focus on the Ryzen or Threadripper processors , be they Zen or Zen +. But better if you do not choose equipment with previous technologies. Both in the case of Intel and AMD, there are processors for laptops and desktops, as well as integrated graphics or without integrated graphics . In the case of laptop processors, the usual thing is that integrated graphics are the norm. For desktops, there are options with and without them.

Recapitulating

As you can see, manufacturers do not always make it easy when it comes to choosing. We have the option to buy a desktop or laptop with the processor and the components that we choose (memory, disk, motherboard, graphics, etc.). If you want to have an idea about the potential performance of a processor, look at the TDP. The higher the TDP, the more processing power. For the same TDP, look for the processors of higher ranges. For example, a Core i7 of Intel with TDP of 15W for portable, will have a greater performance than a Core i5 and this a greater performance than a Core i3.

Within the same family of processors, and for a given TDP, look for processors with a more recent architecture. That is to say, a Coffee Lake Core i7 of 15W of TDP for portable, will yield more than a Core i7 Kaby Lake with a TDP of 15W . For the same number of cores, the processors with hyperthreading or SMT (two threads per core) yield more than those without SMT. And, generally, to more cores, more performance. Going from less to more we have, in Intel, the Atom, Celeron, Pentium, Pentium Silver, Core m, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Core i9 and Core X. Processors with integrated graphics has models with integrated graphics of AMD its maximum expression (Intel Core i5 and Core i7 “G”). The Intel Core i5 and i7 for enthusiasts are the “K”.

In AMD, the second-generation Ryzen outperform the first-rate Ryzen. The TDP is still a valid reference, as well as the choice of a superior range for the same TDP. Thus, a Ryzen 7 yields more than a Ryzen 5 and this in turn, more than a Ryzen 3 . The greater number of cores, the better. The AMD Threadripper is the ultimate expression of what AMD can do in the field of processors. AMD processors with integrated graphics are called APUs. For desktop computers we have the Ryzen “G”. And in laptops, AMD also has Ryzen processors optimized for this type of equipment. They are the Ryzen “U”. The Ryzen 2xxx are more recent than the 1xxx, so they will be more efficient and faster. All in all, you can find interesting offers if we sacrifice performance by price.

Buying the first computer for home is not easy, it is not easy because of the wide variety of products that the market currently offers us. If we talk about starting the course with a team , with the particular needs of each one, things get complicated. We will help you with the choice, exposing advantages and disadvantages that have the different ways in which today takes shape a computer that can move with us: the most obvious is the laptop , but we must not stop thinking about a tablet as an option.

As a total solution are the hybrid devices , which offer us both, but first we will see the six main differences between tablets and laptops , which will make it easier for us to understand what we really need:

Six important differences between tablets and laptops

1. The dimensions

The main reason for choosing one or the other device. Tablets are more comfortable to transport because they are all screen, there is nothing else.

Laptops, even the smallest and most expensive, are heavier than a tablet. Obviously they have a keyboard, trackpad and some other internal components, which usually require cooling and more internal space.

2. The methods of data entry

The tablets base their operation on the touch screen , which makes them very comfortable to use, but they are not as efficient at the time of writing as it would be with a keyboard, nor to define a specific point as a mouse does. We would be left with a laptop in the case of those users who need to write a lot , although there is always the possibility of looking for a quality wireless keyboard for the tablet.

3. Storage

If the amount of information that we want to save is very important, computers have to win here , since there are different types of memories that offer us more space for less price. The tablets base their storage on chip memory, which despite its better performance – speed and consumption – has a higher price than a mechanical disk.

It is true that the tablets do not stop growing, it is easy to see options with 128GB, but the price is much higher than what we have on a computer. A laptop starts on the market with 500GB hard drive, with the possibility of finding SSD disks that work in parallel. Computers also offer much more expansion ports , such as USB or memory card readers.

4. Performance and tasks

If what we are going to do is surf the web, watch video, listen to audio, or write mail: tablets and computers will do the same. We can even say that the former are more efficient in this type of task. If your applications are more complex in interface and demanding in raw power, in addition to needing to do many things at once, then the laptop is your tool.

5. Autonomy

The efficiency of a tablet is greater , its components are designed to work in fairly low consumption modes, since its technology is derived from mobile phones. In addition, almost all the interior of these devices is occupied by a battery.

Laptops are usually much more powerful equipment, something that can be verified in specific and demanding applications. The battery does not occupy a space as important as it happens in the tablets, since it has to leave room for more components.

It is possible to find tablets that reach ten hours of autonomy, with laptops it is difficult to find models that reach half of that figure.

6. The price

The price difference is not as big as it may seem. The tablets can be found at lower amounts, but as soon as you start demanding more capabilities, they are often equated with affordable laptops, even reaching levels of high performance equipment, above 1,000 euros.

Tablet or laptop?

All the aspects discussed in the previous point are interesting to know, we discover strengths and weaknesses of the different types of equipment, but they are not an absolute truth when we talk about systems that overlap in the market : the best tablets can rival in many things with a personal computer – in benefits and price – despite being conceived differently.

What we need to know is that laptops still offer a very large level of flexibility , allowing us to do anything with them, anywhere. There are some applications that are still private preserve of computers and the possibility of viewing information on a larger screen, you also have to value it.

The tablets gain by their portability and efficiency , in addition to a tactile control system that every day is more capable and comfortable. They are especially good at multimedia consumption, games, or web browsing. They also seem the best option for children to start taking their first steps.

If you are going to start the course and you are going to have to choose a single device , we would recommend a laptop. With it we will be able to do more things, learn to use a more complex system, familiarize ourselves with applications that may be more useful in the educational field, also in the workplace.

Do you already have a personal computer at home ? The same is interesting not to look at the laptop and choose a tablet, it can be a more logical complement. But the thing does not end here, we introduce hybrid devices.

What is a hybrid device?

In essence a hybrid or convertible is a device that can take the two forms previously explained. Mainly they are laptops to which a touch screen with rotating support is added, getting us to use them as a tablet.

At a higher level of the idea we have the hybrids that are capable of dividing into two parts , separating the screen from the keyboard area. In this case what we get is to have a tablet in hand, like the Microsoft Surface of the previous image.

Clearly it is the trend that is prevailing in the market , the manufacturers try to offer maximum flexibility in a single team in which we find a lot of advantages, but as they are a fairly young type of device, they are not without drawbacks:

A lot of advantages

It can be cheaper than buying a tablet and a computer separately

The touch screen that we will have will be larger

They usually have mechanisms to leave the screen standing , either in the form of a laptop or with supports

There are computers with very high power with Intel Core i7 processors

Pointers systems with high sensitivity to pressure are introduced. It makes them ideal for creatives

Some inconvenience

In most cases they are heavier and thicker than a reference laptop

The price is high , the high-end models go above 1,200 euros

We have to see if the keyboard is complete, sometimes special designs or reductions are made that everyone does not like

The autonomy is somewhat lower than that of a traditional laptop, there is less space for batteries and the touch screen consumes more

We have a mechanism of union between parts, usually magnetic. This somehow makes them more delicate than a normal laptop

To recap, there is not a perfect option for all types of users. Each one is going to give it a different use, it will need some specifications over others, and obviously, it will have a budget to acquire the computer. Once the strengths and weaknesses of each option are known, we invite you to know the products in person to make a final decision.

Graphic design is one of the disciplines that demand more resources in a computer. And also, it is a field with good professional opportunities for those who enter it. In fact, any PC or Mac with between one and three years old can move graphic design applications nowadays, although depending on the configuration, we will have a more agile or less response when working with complex 3D models, projects with multiple layers and graphic elements, high resolution images or 4K videos.

Making use of Photoshop, Illustrator, Rhino, 3D Studio, Pixel Image, Gimp, Cinema 4D, etc., requires some hardware requirements that allow us to work fluidly with our projects . A few years ago, almost all the work is done in the CPU, but now, graphic editing and multimedia authoring programs use the graphics card (GPU) to accelerate some operations such as the application of filters in Photoshop or the deformation of the 3D geometry of a model.

If the file has several layers with gradients, vectors and textures it is necessary to have enough RAM to avoid having to access the hard disk. In addition, it is convenient to have solid-state SSD drives, much faster than conventional magnetic-type drives. The same applies to animation applications or video editing.

In addition, the trend is for applications to integrate functionalities in 2D, 3D or video graphics, as workflows converge in creative studies. So, we will have to choose a team that satisfies our performance demand, whether portable or desktop. The laptops, in recent years, have reached the level of performance of the desktop, and sometimes are a more versatile purchase in order to have mobility in our professional activity.

We have already seen an introduction to the purchase of this type of computer from our computer purchase guide , and now we are going to study it in some more detail.

What hardware specifications do I need?

For companies and studios with bulky budgets and above-average needs, the ideal is to acquire work stations, portable or desktop, with a very high cost and with a configuration “tuned” to the millimeter for every need. But for audiences composed of liberal professionals, enthusiasts or small businesses, there are “street” teams capable of solving our technological needs with correction . When we go to buy a team to work as a designer it is important to look at the following points:

Processor , although graphic acceleration is important, the CPU is still the center of everything. The current processors perform very well, but for graphic designs or multimedia authorship, Intel sixth-generation processors Core i7 are the ideal proposal, both for desktop and laptop.

RAM memory , another fundamental component. It has come down a lot of price in recent times, so we can install a respectable amount without disrupting our budget. For graphic design applications, a recommended amount is 16 GB, without falling below 8 GB in any case, and preferably installing more if possible up to 32 GB. It will be of type DDR4 if it is accompanied by Core i7 processors of the sixth generation.

Hard disk It is highly recommended that the hard disk of the system be of the SSD type. Solid state disks are excellent at speeding operations with the operating system, such as opening and closing applications, while speeding up the use of data by applications. Unfortunately they are expensive, and having more than 512 GB on an SSD is not common in “street” equipment. For this reason, they are usually accompanied on desktops, conventional units with 1 TB or 2 TB capacity. In the case of having a laptop, there are SSD external disk drives, recommended for having a fast and reliable storage space that complements the disk of the system.

Graphics card , Having a dedicated graphics card, AMD or NVIDIA, will accelerate some graphic operations in applications such as Photoshop. After Effects, Premiere, Illustrator, Rhino, etcetera. Not all functions are accelerated by the GPU, but the trend is to improve the integration between the GPU, the CPU and applications for optimal performance.

Screen, important that has a good resolution . First, because it will offer us a larger desk area, useful for having the tools and a working window without getting in the way. Secondly because we can see in more detail how it is being without having to resort to zoom (both to zoom in and zoom out). In laptops it is convenient that the screen size is enough to access all the menus, options and windows comfortably. It is also possible to use external screens to have multi-screen configurations, or to improve the one that comes by default with the laptop or All-In-One in aspects such as the precision of the colors or the range of tonalities that can be displayed, including the possibility of making a custom calibration

Accessories, in addition to the computer itself, can also be useful to get a graphic tablet, a mouse that is comfortable, as well as a keyboard with a touch and precision that allow many hours work without causing fatigue in the hand or wrist.

Size and weight, if your priority is mobility, they have to be put in the context of hardware equipment, especially in the dedicated graphics section. If graphic acceleration is not a priority because of the type of work you do, there are proposals capable of moving any application with a size barely higher than a tablet and weighing around 1 kg.

Not many people know the origin of the terms notebook or laptop, how netbooks arose or what were the motivations that pushed the computer industry to create the first ultrabooks. And now, to all this fuss is added a new type of laptop: the Modern PC. And what do you suppose is that of a modern PC? Well, that’s how we’re going to get to know a category of portable personal computers with a multipurpose cut and general orientation.

Modern PCs emerge a bit as an alternative to the growing specialization of the portable segment. On the one hand we have the most economic and basic equipment, which essentially only serve light office tasks, while at the other end we find the most powerful gaming beasts on the market, with enough muscle to rival the most powerful desktop computers. In the middle, but above all thinking about the base audience, we would find the protagonists of today.

If you are thinking of renewing your laptop for the fall or the new course , pay attention to these teams.

Characteristics that must be met: lightweight, thin and with great autonomy

The truth is that defining the standard Modern PC is not easy. And is that this open definition is not born to pigeonhole a very specific type of laptop, but basically those computers that have no place in other segments much more restrictive. However, it is possible to find some common characteristics that are not always found in the rest of the equipment.

This kind of metacategory , that is why it groups and even drinks from others, is characterized by offering strict design and performance criteria. To begin with, they must be thin so that they can be transported comfortably in a backpack, as well as light. The more, the better. For this reason Modern PCs also include a large number of ultrabooks, particularly those with a higher performance (since this category of ultralight equipment rarely have real gaming pretensions, which would no longer be defined).

As a basic criterion, we could be talking about computers with a maximum thickness of two centimeters. The normal thing, in fact, is around 1.7 centimeters and even less. The weight must move below two kilograms. It is usual for a Modern PC to be around one and a half kilograms, but some extraordinarily light models rub the right kilogram.

Despite this, everyone enjoys batteries with a high degree of autonomy, thanks in no small measure to the fact that almost all of them move between 13 and 15.6 inches. A suitable level part of the 8 hours of autonomy. In the most remarkable cases we can be talking about more than 12 hours, and there are even some with battery to endure a whole day. The interesting thing about Modern PCs is that thickness and autonomy are not always at odds, since they can combine the latest in batteries with extremely efficient low-power processors.

Power and versatility: what are they for and what do they accept?

Now, under those parameters any low-performance laptop could fit under the umbrella of the Modern PC. And an authentic Modern PC is not that. The idea is of these teams is that neither are excessively austere (which would limit their capabilities of use) or hardware (which would exaggeratedly increase its price). They are well balanced machines designed to meet the needs of the common public, from university students to freelancers and professionals. Then we can play to find the most suitable model based on its finest parameters.

As such, a good Modern PC should incorporate an eighth generation Intel Core processor or at least one seventh generation of good performance. These chips not only offer significant improvements in autonomy, but from the Core i5 range and up provide sufficient speed to work with reasonably demanding multimedia applications and (depending on the team) to work with 3D and even throw a game in the breaks.

The general idea of ​​the Modern PC is that they serve much more than moving Office. These teams are prepared to last for years, so they have enough muscle to move with absolute ease the future updates of Windows 10 and all the software that can arrive in the short and medium term. In short, an authentic Swiss army knife as the equipment that we propose below.

Acer Swift 3 Notebook (14 inches)

Within the Modern PC category, the Acer Swift 3 would be one of the most basic. Which also implies that it is one of the most affordable. This 14-inch computer has a panel with Full HD resolution, a Core i5 processor, 4 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD that guarantees fast access to your data, but also safe and shockproof.

A good option if we want a modern but affordable computer and that will provide adequate performance for a long time. Its price, reduced by 25%, is 599 euros.

Indicated for: professionals and students who value the price and a screen of appreciably intermediate size, neither very large nor very small.

ASUS ZenBook UX430UA Notebook (14 inches)

Asus moves freely within the space of 14-inch laptops thanks to equipment like the ZenBook UX430UA. Superbly crafted with a machined metal chassis, this luxurious, low-weight, low-profile notebook treasures an Intel Core i5 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD despite its size. Moreover, it even has a sound system signed by Harman Kardon, proving that it does not have to sound thin as a loudspeaker in a can of sardines.

Due to its size and orientation, the ZenBook UX430UA is a brilliant notebook for users who value their reduced weight (only 1.25 kg) and look for advanced multimedia features. Its 8 GB of RAM also provides security when running more demanding applications, and even has a handy USB-C port. It costs 949 euros.

Indicated for: users who need a very cheap laptop, with a good amount of RAM and who do not always want to wear headphones.

Portable LG Gram 13Z980 (13.3 inches)

But if what is really important is to concentrate the maximum performance on the lightest possible equipment , there is no more suitable laptop than the LG Gram range. Its extraordinarily slender laptops are a delight to use in any circumstance, with its 13-inch version offering all a next-generation Intel Core i5, 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB of storage in an alloy chassis fall-proof, dust and the worst daily abuse.

With less than one kilogram measured on a scale, the 13-inch LG Gram is the true king of feather weights. And despite that, it offers almost an entire day of autonomy, as well as highly suggestive features. A laptop delight that can be yours for 849 euros.

Suitable for: professionals looking for an incredibly light laptop, with a sensational battery and high resistance to shock.

HP Pavilion x360 Convertible (14 inches)

A Modern PC, however, you can get out of the usual way factors. A good example is the HP Pavilion x360, a convertible specially designed for its tactile use. This equipment has a brilliant 14-inch IPS screen with a 360 degree hinge that can rotate completely on itself , as well as a Core i3 processor, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD.

The HP Pavilion x360 would be a good team if we look for a computer to show presentations and photos to colleagues without having to turn the laptop or swirl them next to your screen. While Core i3 processor is not the most muscular of all, we are talking about an eighth generation chip, so it has an adequate performance and also consumes very little. A good work tool that also costs only 594 euros thanks to the current discount of 15%.

Indicated for: professionals who usually work with presentations and interactive media.

HP Pavilion 14 Notebook (14 inches)

The HP Pavilion 14-ce0010ns is a very elegant laptop, one of those devices designed almost for those people who combine the buckles of the belt with the watch and the cufflinks. With a size of 14 inches is not too small or large, but also offers an anti-reflective screen that improves its visibility in sunlight. Its Core i5 processor is accompanied by no less than 16 GB of RAM, and even has an Nvidia MX130 card that allows you to work with some graphic load programs or even spend time with games with very demanding.

This equipment has 1 TB of storage and B & O sound , so its multimedia possibilities are also sensational. It should also highlight the presence of a complete Ethernet connector, which is almost impossible to find. A lot of computer for only 764 euros.

Indicated for: students and professionals that require a laptop with more graphic power, a lot of storage and a high visibility screen.

Huawei MateBook D Notebook (14 inches)

Did you know that Huawei also manufactures laptops? Although it is best known for its mobile phones, the Chinese firm has jumped into the computer market with its MateBook D, finely made equipment using aluminum chassis and first-line components. The 14-inch version is also a highly versatile computer, since it combines a Core i5 processor with 8 GB of RAM and 256 GB of storage.

Slim and light, it offers a brilliant image thanks to the IPS screen technology and a good sound with Dolby Atmos certification. Beautiful, balanced, well made and with a price of 999 euros.

Indicated for: students and professionals looking for a very balanced, beautiful and well-balanced general purpose equipment.

Portable Huawei Matebook D (15.6 inches)

The Matebook D of 15.6 inches, meanwhile, are big words. In addition to offering a larger screen, this team adds to all that said a 1TB hard drive and an Nvidia GeForce 940MX graphics card , which is enough and enough to run the most popular and less demanding Steam games when we want to release pressure. It also sounds very good, since its sound system wisely uses the largest dimensions of the chassis as a sounding board.

Comparatively somewhat heavier but also more powerful in graphic terms, the Matebook D has a price of 799 euros.

Indicated for: students and professionals who need an elegant laptop, with a lot of hard disk and a greater graphic power to work in a static position.

Laptop Lenovo IdeaPad 320s (15.6 inches)

Lenovo offers with the IdeaPad 320s-15 a formula that is as well known as popular: a well-made laptop with balanced features and at a reasonable price. This 15.6-inch computer is also equipped with an Intel Core i5 eighth generation processors , as well as 8 GB of RAM and a generous SSD of 512 GB, so saving the heavier jobs will not mean alternating pendrives and cards of memory.

An interesting detail of the IdeaPad 320s-15 is its 180 degree hinge. It does not turn completely like in the case of a Yoga, but it can be flat in relation to the desktop to share content in a very efficient way. Sale for 899 euros.

Suitable for: students interested in its storage capacity and easy to share screen.

Convertible Lenovo Yoga 720 (13.3 inches)

The most flexible range of Lenovo has its own name: Yoga. The model 720 is also one of the most popular of the whole family, since its compact 13.3-inch screen is joined by a seventh-generation Core i5 processor and proven performance, 8 GB of RAM and a 256 GB SSD. A solvent technical sheet for a small team but very resultón.

The greatest virtue of Yoga 720 is its screen, which can be rotated completely to facilitate its use in tablet format and share images with the people in front of us. It also has support for digital pen , so taking notes and making sketches can not be easier. It costs 1,199 euros.

Suitable for: students and teachers who work with presentations or want to take notes on their laptop as if it were a notebook.

The passage of time is noticeable in many aspects of our life, but, although we do not think so, it is also noticeable in our computer equipment for many different reasons that we may not even think about.

Computers do not work the same as newcomers after several months or years of operation: keeping them as the first day is precisely our goal when using them, so that this act does not become a torture.

Hardware, software, order, everything influences

Although we think, at first, that the slowness of our team is due to the wear and tear of the components that make it up, that is wrong. The use we give you more than the durability of its components is more important.

Being ordered, clean and careful when using a computer is the key to making it work as smoothly as possible, and we will detail five of the aspects that we should consider if we want it to work exactly as it did on the first day for a long time.

Uninstall or delete programs and files that you do not use

Accumulate applications , programs, folders and more folders and hundreds of files that are not very useful for us or that we do not use directly cause the system to have a lot of content to manage and, therefore, not move freely.

It is important to have only the files or programs that we need to use. If we want to store files or programs for sporadic uses, we can always count on an external disk that we can use from time to time to house and use them (and store them safely).

Organize icons and programs

Another act that “hinders” a lot the correct functioning of the system is to pile dozens of files and folders scattered around all the frequent places (Desktop, My Documents …). The computer will go crazy trying to manage so much clutter.

Sort files in folders allows us to be more efficient when looking for specific files and the computer can index much better any file.

Of course, not having browsers full of open tabs also helps reduce RAM consumption and, therefore, gain speed and stability in the system.

Format the hard drive

It is always good to give a new start to our system, a comprehensive cleaning . Performing a hard disk format is great for the system to download everything and simply re-host the operating system and essential programs that we need.

If we have a team that brings with it ” Recovery ” options, it is as simple as following a series of key combinations when starting. We can also use the recovery discs included in the equipment or purchase a separate operating system.

Change the hard drive to an SSD

A future trend is to replace the “old” (though current) magnetic hard drives with modern, lightweight and ultra-fast SSD drives . By working only with chips and not with moving or mechanical parts , the speed of these discs triggers the fluidity of any equipment that uses them.

It is a good idea, for example, to install the operating system on an SSD and have secondary traditional hard drives to store data and bulky programs. We can also use SSDs to give a new life to “obsolete” computers.

Increase RAM memory

Another very good option is to increase the RAM installed in our computer. This memory allows the computer to be able to manage more information at a time, therefore, the load will be much lower and the performance will improve significantly.

Currently all computers mount at least 4 GB of RAM, the number of 8 and 16 GB being the most adequate capacities to enjoy a greater fluidity and not notice the slightest “pull” or lag.

Spring is the most revitalizing time of the year. This season encourages us to go out and enjoy the temperature, to see friends, even to visit a beach … but we should also take advantage of that positivity and spring energy to cheer us up and give a thorough cleaning to our beloved computer that we use so much . Do not you think?

Cleaning the computer from the outside and keeping it optimized, safe and up-to-date inside is much easier than you may think, and, in many cases, vital to avoid serious operational problems. We are going to show you some simple tricks so that you and your computer will have a wonderful and functional spring together.

External cleaning of the equipment

The physical cleaning of your computer , be it a laptop or a desktop computer , is basic, both for hygiene and for the proper functioning of all its components . Do not worry if your equipment accumulates dust or dirt, it is normal, the important thing is to clean it before it causes more important damages. Remember that in El Corte Inglés you have a large selection of computer cleaning products .

Clean the monitor

The monitor is one of the peripherals that we will use the most in a computer, be it a laptop or a desktop computer, because thanks to it we can see graphically what happens in the operating system.

For this same reason, the monitor is usually one of the peripherals that most suffers “our company”, and it is easy for it to end up dirty in many ways. We should never disassemble a monitor to clean it, with a dry and soft cloth , or lightly moistened with water (never soaked), should be enough to re-shine like the first day.

There are specific products for cleaning the monitor, such as special cleaning cloths for TFT and LCD monitors, or spray mist sprayers , which eliminate fingerprints and marks that remain on the screen over time.

Clean peripherals (mouse, speaker)

The input and output peripherals (those that allow us to control the computer or obtain information from the computer through them) are usually the most likely to get dirty by constant use.

The current mice luckily do not have a ball (which was very prone to getting dirty), but it is worthwhile to clean their nooks and crannies with a slightly moistened cloth . The same can be said of the trackpad of a laptop. To clean a speaker we can also use a cloth , although, if we have a mini vacuum cleaner of low power, we can get better results with lint trapped in their grids.

To access the most difficult areas to clean, in which it is very difficult to introduce a cloth, the best solution is a spray of compressed air because it has a thin tab that can be easily inserted into the cavities. Note that it also serves for external cleaning of the PC.

Alcohol is also a good ally to use with moistened cloths on certain peripheral surfaces.

Clean the keyboard

The keyboard is a world apart, as it is a kind of “magnet” that attracts dirt in the form of food or dust, especially if we have the bad habit of eating in front of the computer or at a short distance from it (something we do not recommend) .

To clean the dirt embedded in the keys, nothing like passing the dampened cloth that we are using for other peripherals. Of course, to clean the possible internal dirt it is best to use a small brush between the nooks or even a small vacuum with enough force. To disassemble a keyboard to clean it is quite risky and laborious, you are warned.

Go ahead and clean the internal ventilation ducts

Cleaning the internal fans or heats of a computer is a bit more cumbersome than the previous ones, since we will have to completely open the computer case to clean the ducts, but, in the case of desktop computers, it is not so difficult As you think and it is very important that these elements are free of lint or dust accumulation, since improper ventilation can cause overheating in the equipment and even irreparable damage.

Our working tools will be a suitable screwdriver for each housing, a brush and a vacuum cleaner . After opening the housing with the corresponding screwdriver, we can access the inside of the computer and, being very careful not to damage any internal component, we will use the brush to remove the accumulated dirt in the fans, heatsinks and vents. The vacuum cleaner is the final ally to remove all dirt easily and effectively.

Replaces the thermal paste of the processor

This process is much more advanced than the rest and should be done only if you consider that your computer, even with the fans clean, generates more heat than adequate, or if your team has several years behind them.

Of course, if you dare to do it, your computer will live a second youth , literally. Thermal paste is a chemical compound based on metals that is used, usually, in the area that joins a dissipator of a processor to facilitate the transmission of heat between them.

You have to be extremely careful when removing and disconnecting a heatsink and its fan from the motherboard, since each one is disengaged in a different way , which is usually indicated by arrows or by the naked eye.

The replacement of thermal paste is easy to find in El Corte Inglés , and its price is affordable. Once the dissipator has been removed, we will clean with the help of alcohol and toilet paper moistened in it the remains of paste that may have been embedded both in the dissipator and in the processor, without modifying or passing the paper anywhere else.

Once this is done, we will have to apply the dose of thermal paste with care, trying to make the paste evenly distributed over the surface of the processor. Once this is done, we will just have to replace the heatsink and connect its power cable.

Equipment optimization

Once we have a computer “neat” on the outside, it is time to check if we have a sufficiently optimized system that does not give us problems when using them in our day to day.

Uninstall programs that you do not use

Normally we accumulate programs on our computer that we do not end up using, for one reason or another, and it is also possible when installing new programs, these install third party programs without notifying us, with the consequent use of unnecessary space on the hard drive. The first clue that we will observe when we have an excess of installed programs is that the computer will go slower , and we will notice it without a doubt.

To solve this, the most logical thing is to uninstall any program that we do not use. This is as easy as going to the Control Panel in Windows and looking for the options “Uninstall programs” or “Programs and features” or the list of Mac applications, and drag the unused programs to the trash.

Sometimes, it is faster and more effective to format the computer and reinstall the operating system than to spend a few hours searching, cleaning and uninstalling applications. Doing one thing or the other will depend a lot on each specific case.

Cleans repeated or unnecessary data

Another of the worst customs that we can have when using a computer is to accumulate data and more data without having an apparent order or concert, this will end up causing, on the one hand, we do not run out of free space for more necessary things and , on the other hand, that our system is overloaded.

The ideal is to eliminate those folders that are useless to us, organize them in our main user folders or extra partitions to store data, and, of course, delete any duplicate file that we have swarming through the system. We will have a much lighter system .

If you also want to completely eliminate the data that you have deleted, something that does not happen spontaneously since there will always be traces, there are professional and affordable solutions to perform deletions of definitive data , without traces.

Store important data on external hard drives

It is very important to get an external hard drive , because, although current computers guarantee the highest quality manufacturing, nothing frees them from suffering an unexpected accident or a cluster of system failures (caused by viruses, for example) that force them to lose all the data that it lodges.

Having an external hard drive to back up that vital data is important and highly recommended. It will also be great for us to transport data from one computer to another and even to enjoy multimedia content such as photos or videos on state-of-the-art televisions.

Get an updated antivirus

We already know that a virus can ruin all our work or personal files in a matter of minutes, so it is important to have the system always protected and updated .

If you do not have an appropriate antivirus or the one you had expired, you can always find a new antivirus according to your needs in El Corte Inglés .

Check that your computer is not infected with malware

Antiviruses are very effective against all types of threats, but in recent times, there are new methods to infect a computer that can not necessarily be classified as a virus.

Malware is an advertising program that is installed on our computer without permission and ends up making the use of our system a whole torture, although usually not as dangerous as a virus. To eliminate them easily we can use tools such as Spybot S & D or adw-cleaner . In fact, here we describe up to 11 free tools to eliminate this type of malicious software.

The tablet has become a very versatile tool to do practically everything. We can play, work with it … as some experts say: if it exists, there is an application that does that on a tablet.

Television is not an exception and although many times when we watch TV we do it with a tablet in hand , we can also watch our favorite channels and programs from it . How? In Technology from you to you we explain it to you.

Watching TV on the tablet is it legal?

One of the first questions that can come to mind is whether this type of service is legal. Within the television broadcast on the Internet, we must distinguish two major channels.

On the one hand we have the reproduction of private payment channels such as football matches. These emissions are illegal, since they are paid for by vision. With these applications that we see today you can not do that.

Then there are the open channels that in addition to broadcasting the content by DTT do so through the internet . By being open, we can reproduce it without having to worry. It is completely legal and we will enjoy the same signal quality as on TV.

With this clarification, we are going to talk about the second ones, applications to see the channels like Antena 3, Telecinco or La Sexta from our tablet. An application for each operating system .

Watch TV on Android: Freeview on TV

In Google Play there are many applications to watch TV live but we are left with TDT to the TV . It is free and it is also optimized so that we can enjoy our contents on the tablet.

It is a simple application that allows us to see all the open channels of our television. We installed it, we chose the channel that we want to see and it will start playing at the moment. You can download it here.

Watch TV on iPad: Spain Premium TV-Radio

If we use an iPad , we recommend Spain Premium TV-Radio . It is a payment application, but economic, that allows us to see all the open channels of Spain as well as the radio stations or even the open channels of other countries.

The application is quite complete and the quality offered by image and sound is quite good. Remember that if you use a Smart Cover type case you can put your iPad standing and see it as if it were a small TV. You can download it here.

Watch TV in Windows 8: Zattoo

A classic application but that has managed to maintain itself over time. Those who have been using the Internet for years will surely remember Zattoo : an application that allowed us to watch live TV over the Internet.

Now it is renewed and it is fully compatible with Windows 8 . We can download it from the following link . Do you see the TV on the tablet? If you are looking for a tablet, take a look at our selection here.

The launch of a new Office is an event in many offices around the world. After all, countless users work every day with popular tools such as Word, Excel and PowerPoint, to the point that they have come to create specific communities around these applications in order to document little-known functions and learn how to get them out the maximum match.

The new Office 2019, precisely, focuses on that. In effectiveness. The most popular office suite is renewed after several years without major changes, introducing significant improvements in productivity. The idea is that we can work more comfortably, more quickly and in a more intuitive way. And how will he get it? Then we show you some of their news.

Focus more on the new concentration mode

The Windows 10 spring update introduced something called a concentration wizard . The essence of this feature is now adapted to Office so that our eyes can focus on the work that we have at hand and only on it. Introduced in Word and Outlook, it essentially centers our vision on the document and eliminates the rest of the screen by putting it in black.

The focused mode, as Microsoft calls it, has been designed to maximize our concentration when reading documents to find errata more easily, letting the text and the images of the file in question acquire all the prominence. If the mouse is moved, the interface will appear (in dark colors, more pleasing to the eye) to make the appropriate modifications.

Other changes introduced in Word include the possibility of customizing the interface to always have at hand the most used functions, as well as a practical translator that will avoid having to open the Internet browser to consult our doubts.

Due to its characteristics, the focused mode will be especially interesting for all those people who spend long hours editing dense and complex texts in Word. But especially if monitors of considerable size are used like the HP 27er , that with its 27 inches offers more than enough space to work with the most neat documents.

Funnel graphics arrive in Excel

It is difficult to improve Excel. Very difficult. Ultimately, this veteran spreadsheet is basically an all-terrain calculator that incorporates all the features that any company needs, but incredible as it seems there were still aspects to be polished. For example, it did not have funnel graphs or 2D maps , two features that are now introduced into the application.

In addition, Excel for Office 2019 incorporates new functions taken directly from the Office 365 service. Specifically, it is now possible to use CONCAT, TEXTJOIN, IFS and SWITCH . The first two are used to combine text strings, while the latter improve the conditional system to add more granularity, avoiding the use of several IFs.

The 4K comes to PowerPoint (among many other changes)

The star of the presentations, meanwhile, is one of the applications that register more changes with the arrival of Office 2019. PowerPoint introduces, among other improvements, a new function of smoother transition and at the same time spectacular (transformation), while wins compatibility with options for insertion and administration of icons, images in SVG format and … 3D models!

Also, given the growing importance of video in today’s presentations, PowerPoint has also become compatible with the 4K format . This will allow introducing crystalline sequences without the need for scaling or loss of quality using last generation screens.

Of course, presentations with elements as powerful as 3D and 4K video will require more processing power. Equipment like the Asus ZN220ICGK-RA012T offer the necessary performance to move this type of contents without problems at a reasonable price, all with a generous storage capacity so as not to fall short at the worst moment.

Improvements in the use of pencils with Word, OneNote and PowerPoint

In addition, and with the introduction of the autumn update of Windows 10, Office 2019 will gain new features in relation to the use of digital pens. For example, any computer compatible with Windows Ink, such as the Surface Pro and Surface Book , which can be used as if it were a tablet to take notes, will allow you to enter handwritten text and it will be perfectly formatted in digital format.

This way it will not be necessary to mark line breaks, select colors or choose the size of the font. If you are using a Windows 10 device with Windows Ink in tablet mode, you will not have to display the virtual keyboard or connect a physical keyboard to enter text. And of course, it will not be necessary to use the mouse to format it later. This will greatly simplify productivity in all types of equipment, not just conventional laptops and desktops.

Your Surface pencil is now a remote control for PowerPoint

Finally, and although it is one more functionality of the pencil, we wanted to separate this new feature because we know that there are millions and millions of PowerPoint addicts. And thanks to Office 2019, owners of a Surface pencil can use the button as if it were a remote control for presentations.

The operation is simple. Just click to go slide and hold it to reverse. That easy. You will never go crazy looking for the command for the presentations. And if you do not have a Surface, this feature is also compatible with Wacom Bamboo Ink pencils.